Tag: John 15

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Pentecost/Shavuot

Spiritual viticulture: What Pentecost teaches us about thriving in God’s vineyard

Adobe Firefly digital painting depicting a vibrant, colorful scene of spiritual viticulture. A hand reaches out to hold a bunch of richly detailed grapes in shades of purple, yellow, and orange, surrounded by lush green leaves and golden hues. The background features an abstract, textured blend of blues, greens, and yellows, evoking a vineyard. Bold white text overlays the image, reading "Spiritual viticulture" at the top, and "What Pentecost teaches us about thriving in God's vineyard" below. The Hallel.info logo is visible at right.

Shavuot (Pentecost) isn’t just a harvest festival. This study explores its profound spiritual lessons about harvest and growth. Just like Wine Country grapevines need careful tending, so too our spiritual life requires intentional connection with God. This Festival of First Fruits remind us that everything is a gift, not our own achievement. Through challenges and Heaven’s empowerment by the Word (Yeshua, or Jesus) and the Spirit, we’re transformed from disconnected branches to fruitful participants in God’s redemptive work. It’s about gratitude, resilience and being part of something much larger than ourselves — Heaven’s harvest of the Earth.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

‘Living water’ from God slakes the spiritual thirst that destroys people and nations (Deuteronomy 29–31; John 4, 7)

'Living water' from God slakes the spiritual thirst that destroys peope and nations (Deuteronomy 29-31; John 4, 7)

In the dual Torah readings נִצָּבִים Nitzavim and וַיֵּלֶךְ Vayelech (“standing” and “he went,” Deut. 29:9–31:30), Moses warns the second post-Egypt generation Israel in Deuteronomy 29:14-21 that if they reject the LORD as their God and King their rejection will cause not only a physical drought in the land, but a spiritual drought too. 

In this study, we explore John 4, where the apostle John records Yeshua’s meeting with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well near Shechem. Although the conversation starts with a conversation about the water in Jacob’s well, it ends with Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) offering her “living water” to satiate her deepest spiritual longings. She is also blessed to be the first person, besides His mother, who receives the knowledge of Yeshua’s messiahship straight from Him.  

Then in John 7, Yeshua brings a similar message to those gathered in the Temple for the last day of Sukkot, offering them living, spiritual water. The difference is that the “living water” the Samaritan woman accepted, Israel’s leadership in Jerusalem violently rejected, bringing on themselves the curse Moses warned about.